WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN:No Taxes for MPs, No Taxes for Ordinary Kenyans. A Call for a Tax Boycott by the Partnership for Change.
Nov 25th, 2008 by Mars Group Kenya
KENYANS MUST NOW WITHDRAW THEIR AUTHORITY TO BE TAXED! KENYANS WILL NOT PAY FOR WASTE AND CORRUPTION. THIS IS A CALL TO ACTION BY THE PARTNERSHIP FOR CHANGE.
On Thursday 12th June 2008, then Minister of Finance, Amos Kimunya presented the Government of Kenya’s budgetary proposals on taxation to Parliament when he published the Estimates of Expenditure (the National Budget) for the year ending 30th June 2009. In the documents he tabled in Parliament on that day, Mr. Kimunya stated how much money Kenyans are expected as taxpayers to pay to the Government for the services rendered to them; how and on what items and services the Government intended to tax Kenyans; and crucially on what budget items the Government intended to spend the tax money collected during the year. The National Budget was broken down into two main categories – recurrent expenditure and development expenditure. The total National Budget for which the Minister asked for Parliamentary approval was Kshs 759,814,501,933.
The Minister asked Parliament to approve his proposal to spend a total of Kshs 563,589,315,235 on recurrent expenditure and a total of Kshs 196,225,186,698 on Development Expenditure.
This Proposal otherwise known as the Estimates of Expenditure by the Government of Kenya for the year 2008/2009 consists of 55 Votes. A Vote represents a Ministry of the Government of Kenya and/or direct charges on the Consolidated Fund such as Public Debt and Pensions. Votes ideally should be related to separate Government Functions. Unfortunately in Kenya functions have been split to create ministries for political reward and this has had the effect of bloating the Government. The more ministries we have the more Votes the Government needs to provide money for.
This proposal was the first budget brought to Parliament by the Grand Coalition Government which was created after the signing of the National Accord on 28th February 2008. The National Accord contemplated a budget that would be designed to target some of the long-term issues which caused conflict in Kenya, including mass youth unemployment, rural and urban poverty, poor infrastructure and widespread insecurity in Kenya.
However the proposal presented to Parliament did not address such issues, and looked very much like all budgets that have been presented before. It was heavily tilted in favour of spending more on the Government than on the public. In fact, the proposal says that out of every 100 shillings of tax money that the Government of Kenya will collect in the year 85 shillings will be spent on Recurrent Expenditure and only 15 shillings will be spent on Development Expenditure. Recurrent expenditure refers to the day to day running costs of Government. The development costs are those related to the supply of services by Government including infrastructure, health, education and public goods such as security.
The recurrent expenditure as proposed by the Minister for Finance was as follows:
All costs are Administrative, running and operating Costs (Ksh).
|
Current Grants to Government Agencies and Other Levels of Government |
117,626,603,950 |
|
|
Basic Salaries – Permanent Employees |
94,223,122,903 |
|
|
Personal Allowance Paid as Part of Salary |
59,596,433,825 |
|
|
Routine Maintenance – Other Assets |
14,077,074,580 |
|
|
Subsidies to Non-Financial Public Enterprises |
11,260,000,000 |
|
|
Specialized Materials and Supplies |
10,175,347,552 |
|
|
Other Operating Expenses |
6,720,100,456 |
|
|
Basic Wages -Temporary Employees |
6,666,975,302 |
|
|
Domestic Travel and Subsistence and Other Transport Costs |
5,351,114,316 |
|
|
Rentals of Produced Assets |
3,995,124,960 |
|
|
Acquisition of Strategic Stocks |
3,400,000,000 |
|
|
Fuel Oil and Lubricants |
3,377,150,268 |
|
|
Purchase of Vehicles and Other Transport Equipment |
3,107,997,901 |
|
|
Emergency Relief and Refugee Assistance |
2,794,900,000 |
|
|
Office and General Supplies and Services |
2,686,130,546 |
|
|
Utilities Supplies & Services |
2,601,666,498 |
|
|
Foreign Travel and Subsistence and other Transportation Costs |
2,596,211,024 |
|
|
Hospitality Supplies and Services |
2,514,397,509 |
|
|
Purchase of Specialized Plant Equipment and Machinery |
2,448,175,225 |
|
|
Training Expenses |
2,302,297,952 |
|
|
Communication, Supplies & Services |
2,233,342,027 |
|
|
Budget Reserves |
2,000,000,000 |
|
|
Routine Maintenance – Vehicles and Other Transport Equipment |
1,794,182,168 |
|
|
Printing, Advertising and Information Supplies & Services |
1,776,915,978 |
|
|
Purchase of Office Furniture and General Equipment |
1,763,920,273 |
|
|
Scholarships and Other Educational Benefits |
1,691,192,325 |
|
|
Membership Fees and Dues and Subscriptions to International Organizations |
1,548,088,501 |
|
|
Domestic Loans to Individuals and Households |
1,367,902,862 |
|
|
Capital Grants to Government Agencies and Other Levels of Government |
1,170,000,000 |
|
|
Civil Contingency Reserves |
1,000,000,000 |
|
|
Personal Allowances Paid as Reimbursements |
961,227,063 |
|
|
Other Current Transfers, Grants and Subsidies |
944,779,600 |
|
|
Insurance Costs |
837,397,700 |
|
|
Government Pension and Retirement Benefits |
765,207,476 |
|
|
Employer Contributions to Compulsory National Social Security Schemes |
686,752,206 |
|
|
Refurbishment of Buildings |
642,112,812 |
|
|
Subsidies to Non-Financial Private Enterprises |
465,000,000 |
|
|
Overhaul of Vehicles and other Transport Equipment |
327,124,222 |
|
|
Principal Repayments on Guaranteed Domestic Debts taken over by Government |
246,000,000 |
|
|
Rehabilitation of Civil Works |
231,140,000 |
|
|
Research, Feasibility Studies, Project Preparation and Design, Project Supervision |
214,954,392 |
|
|
Personal Allowances Provided in Kind |
206,351,140 |
|
|
Membership Fees and Dues and Subscriptions To International Organizations |
169,200,000 |
|
|
Purchase of Household Furniture and Institutional Equipment |
137,940,987 |
|
|
Employer Contributions to Compulsory Health Insurance Schemes |
133,561,465 |
|
|
Other Capital Grants and Transfers |
101,328,875 |
|
|
Construction of Buildings |
100,696,000 |
|
|
Construction and Civil Works |
76,424,520 |
|
|
Rehabilitation and Renovation of Plant, Machinery and Equipment |
56,270,548 |
|
|
Purchase of Buildings |
50,001,000 |
|
|
Purchase of Certified Seeds, Breeding Stock and Live animals |
15,712,371 |
|
|
Exchange Rates Losses |
11,207,100 |
|
|
Overhaul and Refurbishment of Construction and Civil Works |
10,258,500 |
|
|
Employer Social Benefits |
10,000,000 |
|
|
Reimbursements and Refunds |
2,000,000 |
|
|
Acquisition of Land |
500,000 |
|
|
Advances to Government Employees |
50,000 |
|
|
Public Debt |
146,527,616,570 |
|
|
Pensions and Gratuities |
26,158,474,279 |
|
|
Salaries and Allowances |
880,127,989 |
|
|
Subscriptions to International Organizations |
55,000,000 |
|
|
Miscellaneous |
1,020,649,241 |
|
The Minister of Finance and the Government of Kenya are required under the Constitution of Kenya to obtain the approval of Parliament for the National Budget and for the taxation proposals which accompany it in the Finance Bill. Parliament has the right to question why certain expenditure is proposed and can ask the Minister to amend his budgetary proposal. This year, Parliament did not debate the whole budget. Only 9 out of 55 Votes were actually discussed and the budget was passed by a process called the guillotine – a process by the way which is not legal anywhere but Kenya. In other words without debate our representatives in Parliament authorized waste, extravagance and corrupt costs which cannot be justified and allowed Government to take 85% of the National Budget for itself, leaving nothing for Kenyans and especially poor Kenyans.
Members of Parliament have let Kenyans down and have refused to enact a law to tax them as Kenyans demanded. They have abused their power to pass laws and have engaged in breach of trust and self-dealing with a public power. Every individual Member of the 10th Parliament was expected to have good working knowledge of public finance, its processes and procedures and was expected to be able to know when the system was not working and what should be done to remedy the situation when the system failed – as it has. After the National Accord of February 28th 2008, the Grand Coalition Government of Kenya, which is the Executive branch, was meant to create the right atmosphere for work and production and economic recovery. They were expected to ensure that the resources of this country were harnessed for the benefit of the neediest and not for themselves exclusively. Parliament was meant to represent their constituents and ensure that there was No Taxation without Representation. Instead they have allowed taxation on Kenyans while deleting taxation proposals which affected them They have given no reasonable explanation for why they did what they did and have arrogantly stated their defiance of public opinion.
Parliament passed this crazy budget! Unscrutinized. They gave away our money to Anglo Leasing Crooks, To the Ken Ren Fertilizer factory Crooks and allowed over 200 Billion shillings of tax money to be allocated in wasteful expenditure.
Now they have betrayed their constituents and the country’s tens of millions of taxpayers look to the President to exercise his powers under the Constitution of Kenya to refuse his Assent to the Finance Bill until it is amended to tax MPs and give the poorest Kenyans immediate tax relief.
It is now time to act!.
WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN:
No Taxes for MPs,
No Taxes for Ordinary Kenyans
According to the 2008-2009 budget,
- Ordinary Kenyans contribute 71% of money spent by government daily mostly from VAT and consumption tax.
- 74% of taxes collected are used to pay for big salaries, flashy cars, fuel, allowances and luxury trips mostly for politicians and a few top civil servants.
- More than 70% of civil servants are paid less than matatu drivers. The top 10% in civil service who are political appointees consume more than 50% of salaries and allowances. Very unfair!
- Only 26% of taxes are used for roads, hospitals, schools, etc
- Most of the important things used by ordinary Kenyans including medicine are paid for by donors who contribute 41% of development funding.
- Each year the government of Kenya borrows money which ordinary citizens have to repay through tax. The borrowed money is used on corruption schemes and projects that never benefit Kenyans.
Starving Kenyans are paying for the luxuries of a few politicians…
The 2008-2009 budget was passed by MPs without discussion. It reflects a bad and wasteful government that has stopped caring for the people despite the many hardships we continue to endure.
The cost of living is so high that 80% of Kenyans cannot afford one meal a day. Most Kenyans are casual workers who earning 100 shillings per day yet maize flour alone costs over 100 shillings. The price of cooking oil, kerosene, electricity and transport is three times what it was last year.
Instead of helping ease the burden for Kenyans, the government will spend 7 billion shillings to buy and fuel big cars. Less than 1 billion shillings will be used for relief food for starving Kenyans. The Cabinet Office with only 237 employees will get four billion shillings but the Ministry for Cooperative Development which serves millions of Kenyans will only get 1 billion shillings.
Each month 102 million shillings will be spent on household and press services for Kibaki, Raila and Kalonzo, which is more than the funding for roads nationwide. Kalonzo will get 100 million shillings for travel this year while people are starving in Ukambani. Raila’s household funding is more than the money allocated for slum-upgrading.
The government has allocated 3.4 billion shillings for the import of maize so that the prices come down. Unfortunately, the maize is given to well-connected business people who sell it at the high prices, meaning that our taxes are corruptly used to make a few very rich while we continue to struggle. Right now there is a shortage of maize flour. How can that be, if the government has imported 3.4 billion shillings worth of maize?!
Politicians don’t care that 1.5 millions Kenyans are starving. Thousands of poor people are dying of hunger. Millions are struggling to survive under great difficulty. To fundraise for campaigns, both Kibaki and Raila collected billions from their friends. We remember when Kibaki’s friends each paid 1 million for lunch. Raila’s friends abroad were also paying millions to dine with him. If both Kibaki and Raila cared about our dying children they would raise funds for food. But even if they don’t care, we can afford to feed the hungry from our taxes if the government stops wasting our taxes on buying and fueling big cars.
If MPs and judges pay taxes, there will be more money for food and medicine for all. If the maize purchased is not sold corruptly, the cost of maize flour will be Kshs. 30 only. If we stop spending billions on corrupt deals, we can remove taxes on all fuel. A litre of petrol will cost only Kshs. 45, kerosene will cost Kshs. 25 per litre. Electricity prices will fall by 65% and factories will not have to close down. Unemployment will reduce.
Over 71% of the money the government is wasting comes from ordinary Kenyans through VAT and income tax. The government has removed all taxes for goods and services used by the President. Is this fair?
Join the Partnership for Change in demanding equal treatment for all Kenyans.
If Kenya’s Political Class won’t pay their taxes, NO KENYAN SHOULD PAY ANY TAXES ON FOOD, MEDICINE, FUEL OR ELECTRICITY.
On Jamhuri Day, December 12, 2008 we shall demand:
1. That tax relief is given to the poor. All taxes on food, electricity be removed to reduce prices by between 30 and 60% and give relief for millions.
2. That all Kenyans be treated equally. Either all Kenyans, including judges and MPs are required to pay income taxes or NO KENYAN SHOULD PAY INCOME TAX. It is unfair to allow the rich and the powerful to evade tax while misusing the contributions of the poor. Even the poor have the right to withold their tax.
3. That the government stops paying for corruption including Anglo-Leasing and Ken Ren Fertiliser factory immediately. That the money committed to redemption of such “debts” be reallocated to development purposes, and the origin of such debts must be investigated to identify the culprits.
4. That the government spends at least 60% of the budget on development that will benefit all Kenyans instead of spending 85% of our budget on salaries, luxury, travel, allowances, flashy cars and fuel for a few politicians.
5. That the government stops borrowing money to pay for luxuries and corruption. The international community should assist the Kenyan people to clean their external debt register of bogus debts.
TAX BOYCOTT
If the government fails to do that, we ask that all patriotic Kenyans join us in refusing to pay taxes to a cruel and wasteful government that does not care about us. We must withhold our taxes. We pay the most taxes (over 70%) through VAT and we can stop or reduce our payments to the Government.
KULIPA USHURU BILA MASHARTI NI KUWEZESHA WIZI, ULAFI, UFISADI NA UMANGIMEZA!!!
Ordinary Kenyans must not continue to give money to a government that does not spend the money wisely. We have enough problems to take care of with no support from the government.
What you can do:
- Withhold your income and other taxes until changes are made.
- Avoid buying products from shops that have ETRs and avoid buying items that have a bar-code so that you can avoid paying VAT.
- Reduce or avoid consumption of pretaxed products such as beer, sodas and cigarettes .
- Reduce or avoid purchase of luxury goods until changes are made in solidarity with the poor.
- Buy products from local kiosks that do not charge VAT.
- Attend the official Jamhuri Day celebrations and join other Kenyans in demanding for tax relief. Wear a white ribbon or black T-shirt to show support.
- Participate in prayers, demonstrations, processions and other non violent actions.
- Give this message to other Kenyans.
- Communicate your discontent to politicians.
Join the Partnership for Change. Visit our websites for more information:
Watch Enough is Enough – A Call to Action by the Partnership for Change Part 1-4
BE PART OF REAL POSITIVE CHANGE IN KENYA. TAKE CONTROL, TAKE ACTION, DEMAND CHANGE!
[...] Read More at http://blog.marsgroupkenya.org/?p=440 [...]
What would be the point of attending the Jamhuri Day celebrations? Methinks boycott of this would be a strong opening statement without the attendant teargas and bullets that will inevitably seek out the white ribbons. What would the poor folk be celebrating anyway? Why do we keep giving them an audience when they insult us so? This is slavery with our consent!
surely if all Kenyans can agree on your opinion then Kenya as a country will not be the same again. so let join each others hand and say NO, and NO, NO0000000. Come open and teach Kenyans to know their rights. We are ready to join your organisation so as to sharpen the minds of the dormant Kenyan. Do not stop the fire from burning.
If the Kenya revenue authority (KRA) is serious about taxing MP’s which I believe they are (given their targets), they should simply wait till MP’s leave parliament, then go and surcharge them for back income taxes incurred and arrears not paid when in parliament. In fact they should go after losers in the last election
Income tax is incurred regardless of where it is earned – whether you win the Boston marathon, work for Citibank, or are an MP in Parliament – you must pay 15% to a
government somewhere
MARS group,
I said this here and I am going to repeat. I am out of the country and here broadband is cheap. I can read and read and comment on your shocking discovery. People like me and other who are out here can not help much apart from sending you donations to spread what you write here to the local people in a language they understand.
I am here reading this but my cousins and brother who are toiling in Nairobi and other places in order to pay tax which will be misused have not seen this. The few shillings they have to go to a cyber cafe can not allow them to browse your web site. That is the reality.
What I am saying is, don’t just preach to the converted, go out and print cheap one page leaflets and distribute them in all urban centres with the help of partner NGOs.
You can fund raise for this as part of your Civic education programme, if you need help contact me.
Dont trust some of us here in diaspora, most of us are sons and daughters of the ruling class, so we cant support your cause.
Please print this and distribute. Let me help if you need me.
Myself I think people should not even attend the jamuhuri day event itself!! Even the people who go there because they have nothing to do should give it a miss!! That will be giving this bunch of selfish, immoral, inconsiderate…….. Mps and politicians attention for nothing!! What are we celebrating anyways coz after the event they will most definately go back to wherever they go-statehouse, for lunch or something to further spend OUR money after spending more on the venue, driving to and from the venue!!
You know fellow youth, reading the above I can’t help but feel angry, and extremely pissed off by our so called Government of National Unity…
Ukoloni mambo leo ulikwisha na kwa Era hii mambo kama haya ni ya aibu na madharau kwa nchi nzima na Utu!!
Let’s join hands in solidarity in millions to say NO, to say we are fed up with becoming poorer every new day while others florish at our expense. Today we cant even afford a packet of UNGA while the MHESHIMIWAS who claim mimi ni MTUMISHI wenu is driving the most expensive SUV. While we struggle to walk 3Km home the MHESHIMIWA is flying in and out of the country at our expense. Its time to say ENOUGH is ENOUGH.
“Freedom is the recognition of necessity!” Garret Hardin. it is time for Kenyans to recognize the necessity that is their right to just governance and quality service from the government whose very existence is sanctioned and operations billed for by them! As John Adams states, we must have “a government of laws and not men!” it is utterly selfish and insensitive for these cabal of thieves who use public office for personal aggrandizement! The time is NOW! the white ribbon campaign must succeed!
Guyz! I hear a united voice, but an undecided spirit! While I appreciate the email updates (and the sharing), let’s move from online to on land. We’ve gathered enough momentum, we have charged ourselves fully. We have sharpened ourselves well. Or do we still need more of these sweet exchanges (with no tangible results)?
Kenyans,
Lets unite and make this a reality, not just idle threats! Every other Kenyan is taxed all salary and allowances from their meager income so why not MPs! Kenyans rise up and say NOT ANY MORE.
fighters never say goodbye they say aluta continua. lets keep on fighting for what’s is rightfully ours. food, medical care, employment, education. etc
“Every generation must find it’s mission, defend it or betray it”. To people like us in our 30s who were weaned on fight for multipartyism of 1992, no reform no elections of 1997, all this talk and no action portends a dangerous trend of people who are not committed to any cause. They are worse than the people they pretend to criticize and are only marking time so that they can occupy the lofty positions these MPs occupy. I daresay that I won’t be disappointed if no action comes from all these empty threats!
A movement needs people who are not afraid to lose life and limb, not armchair revolutionaries! Am currently in Juba, southern Sudan and maybe some of you should come here (Better subject, eh?) and see the effects of a debilitating war so that they know why we should cherish the peace we have.
Let’s start with 12 December to show the world and the dubious politicians that we are tired of their mind games. Remember Jamhuri day should be our ideal moment to send our message that they must pay the taxes. imagine it is only four out of the 222 Mps who have agreed to pay taxes. it is indeed shameful.
Bwana Mati and your associates, Can you start collecting our emails. Go to all other online communities and get people to sign a petition. Once you get contacts of 100/1000 people let us strategise an online revolution (public education)based on fact. We must fight for our aunties and neighbours who are too poor and too restrained to do anything. You can start with me.
This is real betrayal by our newly elected law makers. What I don’t understand is why the once vocal civil society advocates like Mutava Musyimi have remained silent and never contribute on these issues in solidarity with the public. Is the civil society a platform to political office? How serious should we take some of these appeals? I feel very much betrayed and uncertain as to whose interests the civil society is fighting for. To effectively walk the talk, why not collude with the major trade unions, COTU, KNUT, KUPPET etc and call for a strike in solidarity with the civil society rather than call for mass action that will lead to the death of many other innocent Kenyans as has been the case before? The problem in Kenya is that self seekers tend to use the poor as a means to publicity and eventual political office (Parliament). We need different strategies and not the same same approach that the police & government are used to from time immemorial.
Fellow Youths,
I sincerely feel the threat that we are facing as a nation and particularly for our future generations to whom we will be answerable to either making a nation or destroying it. I, too, share with these other patriots what I had shared again that: – its time to get out of internet cybers and phone calls to the field.
And I will take it squarely with the conveners of the NYC IV and the elect- regional reps who should be calling to the youth constituent after being delegated to work on the implementation of the Bomas declarations which to me should be tied with the current queuing crises, right from Waki, Kriegler, Taxation of MPs, irresponsiveness
of the system and above all the current food crisis that has befallen our nation.
Like my colleague below has said, we should forget “armchair revolutionary”. But this revolution must as well start from the very people who want to be revolved, whether in Juba, Kampala, US, Britain, Kenya or anywhere else. We must “mount” this dragon fearlessly.
Mr. Emmanuel and the other conveners, I appreciate with thanks your effort to sensitizing but problem is, we are already sensitive! Just call a Kamukunji for the youths on that 12th day. I’ll personally be there – reason, it would be so shameful of me to watch a fellow Kenyan fall of hunger.
Time to act is indeed long overdue but passed? NAY! It is now. Am a very proud daughter of Eve, and this very minute, pleased with the voices of reason that have come my way thro different forms of media. That young people are charged and ready to fire like timed out grenades and, in my lifetime too, brings out emotions that a girl can’t express in any wordz! I am ready for this.
Only a little caution with the wordz though guyz! The beastly guyz called politicians have some special breedz among them & auch! That hurt. Remember the MP’s who have defied the shameless onslaught on mwananchi by their fellow legislators and agreed to pay tax? Remember the overworked but poorly remunerated councillors who eke to get by but still don’t find anything wrong with tax paying?
We are together in this war & the councillors, I know for a fact are pretty angry and ashamed by the MP’s lack of scruples and will be more than happy to sound the same horn to propel this boat for action. Dec 12 sounds like a plan?
Believe you me, pressures make diamonds and we’re gonna bag some real soon! That’s a woman’s intuition.
Cllr Caroline Owen,
PIONEER FOR CHANGE!
Republic of the Millennium City of Kisumu
Marsgroup,
I am not not bent on spamming your blog with links. I am a SEO expert in the EU so I don’t need to spam your site but to be able to collaborate I am offering my web site as a focal point for Europe/diaspora for pushing forward this agenda online. I will be happy to discuss and strategise with you if you wish. But send me comments on how I can turn this into a mouthpiece of your message;
-http://www.idhaa.net. ( and if you guys want to register use proper names -should be swahilish:-) so that I can distinguish them from the crazy ones from web trollers)
The more focal points we have-within the country and outside, the less effective it will be for them to vanquish or stop us.
Obama won the race on the internet, we can do the same.
I take issue with the insensitivity and absurdity of our so called Waheshimiwa, it is against the spirit of Leadership and sin to rob the poor in the name of service and that is why i must use my final breath of life to join fellow citizens in rejecting our Honourable looters who can go any length to fleece us to the last bone on our death bed.
The reason to why i must join the civil society is that we always have a voice of reason with the less fortunate in our midst. Mwalimu Mati thanks a lot I’ve got your handbill. I w’d like the ODM fraternity to know I’m a Staunch supporter and if you doubt check the people who sent your and prayers all over i was there, i did my part in patriotism without pay to western and nyanza to the group i met, which unknown to you we are there at the ground, but on the matter of you ganging up and fleece the poor we must resist you, and the talk like of Hon. Henry Kosgey must be resisted. How can a cabinet minister on camera say he can’t pay taxes because he doesn’t know where the money goes and he is being driven on limousine with bodyguards paid by the taxpayer, withdrawing salary from the public coffers isn’t that confusion of speech or insensitivity?
It is good to observe that we are mobilising all Kenyan of goodwill and lover for their country to stay put for civil disobedince, this time is not PNU,ODM or ODM-K. Hon.VP and your party where were you in parliament and you are the leader of government bussiness? This is elites verses civil revolution. FINALLY Marsgroup I’M on my way to western Kenya; Siaya, Kisumu, Kakamega, Mumias and Kitale at this time give me the blessings, I’ve done some of your copies so expect some work done!
In a just and fair society, there must be equality. Ours is a man-eat-man society. Equality, fairness, justice, etc are trashed the moment voters part with their votes. I say, the loudest mouths during the campaigns are now the quietest with the mention of taxation – where are the voices of Raila, Kibaki, Ruto, Mudavadi, Ngilu, etc?. in such issues which touch on thier ‘bread’ they are never the first to raise a finger. They join the bandwagon when they are sure how the public are positionig themselves. By the way, they always manage to get away with greed since Kenyans have always occupied the first position in terms of ’short memory’. Ask yourself, how comes nobody remembered to ask raila, kibaki, etc during the campaigns if they were going to slash their salaries, tax them, etc. With a bloated cabinet, the most honorable thing to do was to drastically reduce the salaries (to maintain the earlier salary budget). It is now evident that the high salaries and perks (and other trappings that go with the positions) for the MPs have made aspirants to use all means to be elected – including causing mayhem and death of their innocent voters. The solution is to drastically reduce the salaries to discourage greed for high office.
What normally happens in Kenya is that sometimes we are good in empty threats and when it comes to unity on purpose we do it in our own individual way within a group. Group dynamics tend to malfunction after the initial synergy.
That is why we have;
Ford=Ford Kenya=ford Asili=Ford people=Ford =Animals?=Ad infinitum
ODM=ODM-Kenya=ODM-Chungwa-Ad infinitum
NERC= NARC KENYA, Ad infinitum
The current food campaign should be coordinated, I would hate to see all of us going different ways and doing our little thing in the corner thus taking the steam out of a noble cause.
We have begged for an online proactive group, I thought MARS Group would lead us – we are tired of reading reports, we want to see action. I’m greeted by silence.
Should I start duplicating your ideas and create my own Mars Kenya number 2 to articulate the same things that you are doing right here-just as illustrated above? NO.
The law should be clear that MPs who makes little contribution in parliament and any citizen who is implicated in any immoral or criminal activity should never hold a public office. And this law should be enshrined in the constitution.
Dear all concerned,
I would like to put a word on the ongoing work. There has been energy as relates the protests and lots of groups have started organizing what to do. Could we have a synergized program for an effective protest? Mwalimu Mati, could you sit all interested parties together and develop a common team and theme on this? Maybe my comments are coming up too late if there is one please inform us.
On the program of events and venues. This needs to be made clear and my suggestion is that we have groups organizing locally all over Kenya not only in the big cities? Is there anything like this? please avail this information.
I also thought to make it more effective we would organize teams (platoons) to raise people up in every end of the nation.
Agenda: it needs to be made clear and the message is delivered to all ends without distortion.
I am finally lifted a bit when I hear that the middle class and the fairly well-off are also keenly taking this up and they are ready to stand with all Kenyans. Yester evening I talked to a banker friend who said he was behind this. Hope this momentum will last to bring real change to our nation not because we pinch now but because we want to secure
the future!
Aluta Continua!
With thanks
These country belongs to all citizens of Kenya, and not the 210 MP,s. There biggest mistake is that they fathom that they are our bosses but to be sincere an MP,s is elected by peoaple the to represent them in parliament, so in actual fact they are the servants of the people. Lets remind them that by any peacefull means possible, starting with 12th December
Mars Group.
I have sponsored 5 of my trusted lieutenants to buy your t-shirts and attend.
Let me know your long term plans and I am ready to organise an EU group to support your activities.
Gizah
I have just stumbled on these disturbing facts;
According to The White House Project;
The current chief of staff earns $165,200 (U.S.) a year, the vice-president at $212,100 and the president at $400,000. So Obama will earn about Ksh 2.3 million before tax (400,000 divide by 12 x 70) yet this is the USA. Kenyan MPs earn almost ksh 1 million tax free! yet we are one of the poorest nation on earth. The cabinet minister earn more and also have other privileges that most civil servants in the developed world dont have- eg travel allowances,domestic servants, drivers, security, extra cars, tax free imports etc.
The 577 members of France’s National Assembly get a monthly salary of 5,180 euros (£4,138) after social security deductions but before income tax (4,138 x 117=ksh 484,146)
Essentially they earn more than their counterparts in EU and USA.
What a shame.
Our MPs do not have the humanity in them. Normal Kenyan person earning ksh100 a day is able to pay tax in order for MPs to be paid and after earning almost 1 Million Shillings they don’t want a single penny to be taken away. Reason? They donate their perks in funerals and weddings. This means nomal kenyans dont donate to funerals?
shame………..
[...] afford a meal a day!! So with this new idea of a democratic state, one would need to follow these figures – They may at first make you sick to your stomach with disgust but really it’s how to make a [...]
Hi, all of you,
What happened to Mw. Mati, Caro, Nyambane and others is a clear indicator that all the politicians who were struggling to grapple power from Moi were doing it because of their own private gain and not in the interest of mwananchi.
All these politicians are thugs who pretended to fight for democracy only to become worse than the Moi they wanted removed.
They are liars hiding behind the banner of democracy, taking cover behind mwananchi when we are at war,when many wananchi die or are maimed only to claim victory which they didn’t fight for. A politician is a devil incarnate who gets into our hearts and minds to make us do the dangerous jobs for them while they are hiding in safety with their families. Kenyans it is time to say NO. NO means NO VOTING come next elections, NO SUPPORT for politicians, NO infighting between ourselves for the sake of politicians, NO TAX.
What do you say when only 220 politicians are playing around with the lives of 33 MILLION Kenyans?
WE SAY NO.
Mw. and company keep the good work. God Be with you.
Pole Mwalimu,liberty comes at a price, a price very few want to pay but all love the ultimate result.
Remember during the Battle of Britain Sir Winston Churchill said;
“Never in the face of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few. ” –
We support your actions, it is a shame that Kenya has become a nation that hero-worship those who steal from the public and shun the true heroes who die poor fighting the system instead of of joining the gravy train.
Go on print leaflets , t-shirts,publish this shameful budget and give to people in matatus, in church and other places.
Next start a profile of MPs and distribute it. Show us who votes for what in Parliament. When the time comes, we will can refer voters to the record. I have always wanted somebody to do this.
For example; it is legal to reproduce Hansard and show us who voted for the communications Bill, who is not voting when issues touching their voters etc. THIS WIL EMPOWER VOTERS.